Coffee exports up 46% year-on-year in February

Uganda exported 397,883 60-kilo bags of coffee worth $48.50 million in February 2017, a 46.31% increase in volume and 93.57% rise in value compared to the same period in 2016.

Robusta exports were 301,756 bags worth $34.63 million, according to data from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority. Exports of the more valuable Arabic crop were 96,127 bags worth $13,86 million.

Coffee is Uganda’s most valuable export, and accounted for 12.62% ($371.51 million) of total export earnings ($2,942.91 million) in 2016.

In the year to February, 3.74 million bags of coffee valued at $412 million were exported compared to 3.60 million bags worth $382 million in the same period last year. This represents an increase of 3.79% and 7.69% in quantity and value respectively.

The European Union was the main destination of exports in February, accounting for 65.12% of market share. Sudan was second with a market share of 7.53%, followed by Switzerland with 5.27%.

UCDA projects that 300,000 bags of coffee will be exported in March because “the main harvesting season in Central and Eastern regions has ended.”